Inhalation of nitric oxide (NO) during partial liquid ventilation with perfluorocarbon (FC 3280 ®) in an animal model of acute lung injury

Objective: To evaluate the effect of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) on gas exchange and haemodynamics during partial liquid ventilation, in a saline lung lavage model of acute lung injury (ALI) in pigs. Design: Prospective, controlled study. Setting: Animal research facilities of a university hospital. Subjects: Twelve medium-sized pigs. Interventions: After induction of ALI in 12 pigs (25±5 kg body weight), partial liquid ventilation was initiated with 30 ml kg-1 perfluorocarbon (FC 3280 ®). Subsequently, 0.1 ppm, 1 ppm, 10 ppm and 100 ppm NO were sequentially added to the inspiratory gas, interrupted by time periods without NO inhalation. Measurements and main results: PaO2, PaCO2 and venous admixture did not reveal any significant change following partial liquid ventilation or the additional inhalation of NO. However, a large variety of individual responses were observed in the studied group of animals. Mean pulmonary pressure increased significantly after inhalation of 10 ppm NO and 100 ppm NO was interrup...